Cariosus Malum

Aimless and boring nights

Licking the Wounds

After our meeting with Samantha. Diane, Jonas and English are licking their wounds from the recent fight, while Hector and I bring them rats to feast upon. My Camero is going to need some work done and I need to report my gun missing. We are going to try to make the Prince’s Court tonight.

The Prince’s Court

There were two main things that came out of the Prince’s Court. After we all arrived, it took Diane a while to come in we took English in. He recounted everything he knew about his old coterie. Bennett ordered a blood hunt on them, hopefully we can help hunt them down. Secondly, although this didn’t directly affect us, Samantha presented the Lancea Sanctum with the body of Pope if they officially supported Bennett. They agreed.

The second Prince’s court we went to there wasn’t much of anything going on. Diane and I talked to Samuel Eaton about the Invictus developments in South Manhattan. He told us Diane had a warehouse that was going to be developed. We left a message with her ghoul that we wanted to talk to her, when she had time. We found out that the two captured Vampires were put to final death. I passed on information that the leader was in New Jersey. But beyond that there wasn’t much.

The Long Nights

The following few weeks were mostly spent healing. We heard that the two Vampires that beat us were captured. I had a buddy of mine in the NYPD track the cell phone of the leader. He was, and probably still is hiding behind the werewolves in New Jersey. English got us a goat as a thank you. Jonas wanted to call him lunch, but his name is Barry. Diane did not seem to believe that Barry was talking to her when I was near him. We had to get him some grass which we dug up from a nearby park. Safe from us at least. I started keeping notes on the separate interests in different note books.

With these two politicians, I thought it may be an idea to make some friends with city hall and the Port Authority. I found a roof top bar next to city hall that is frequented by a lot of the staff, but could not find any near the Port Authority. I went to the bar near city hall and made some new friends. This is going to take a bit of effort. I need to find a similar bar near the Port Authority.

After we met with Diane about her development interest in South Manhattan. She told us that Donevella was bringing in a ancient Egyptian chalice from a museum in Egypt, going to a private collector. It is due in in two weeks via a ship, but she does not know much more than that. She does however want us to get it. I really need to get some contacts with the Port Authority.

Invictus

Diane and I went along to an Invictus night where we were properly joined them. Apparently there is a big meeting at the Invictus that only a select few get invited to. Although we did not make the cut, that may be something to try and get into next year. We need to find out who is sending the invites.

We found out that there were a couple of politicians that live over in Queens that the Invictus want to know if they are loyal or not. A Mr Steven Williamson and a Mr Walt Brendan. Brendan runs all of the development applications in South Manhattan. Williamson is high up in the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The main thing the Invictus is concerned about is information about the Bennett’s Invictus being passed on to Donevella’s Invictus.

I did some research on the internets. I couldn’t find anything on this Williamson character. But this Walt Brendan was a wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, until he blew his knee out. And then he was in and out of rehab a couple of times. I couldn’t find out anything more recent. I think it might be a good idea to get Diane to have a look.

Diane found out a bit more information. Apparently it was a different Walt Brendan that played for the Cardinals. Diane found out their home addresses and a bit about them. Brendan has a wife and kids and lives inside of Dean Wallace’s territory. Williamson lives alone in another vampires territory.

We decided to ask Hector for some help. I asked him to get into their home computers and see what he could find out. English offered help with his why five dongle, whatever that is. Hector had no luck with the home computer of Brendan. I asked him to get on the internets to get into his work computer. He wants to wait until tomorrow night… Hector could get in to the work computer and doesn’t want to use his laptop to get onto the internets anymore. English broke his why five dongle.

Diane got Hector to look up the public records of upcoming developments in south Manhattan. there were over 200 companies putting forward developments. We decided that we should try and find out which companies were associated with the Invictus.

I found a private investigator called Dick Cheney. He was happy to take on the job of following Brendan for a week. I told him I would let him know when we need him. I must remember when we hire him to only following him at night. I may have more work for Dick Cheney P.I. if everything works out.

At the next Prince’s Court we found out that Diane had a property that she was looking a getting developed. left a message with that we would like to met with her about her development. He came back with a chance to meet her on Tuesday. We arrived promptly, Diane, myself and the Englishman. We asked Diane about her development. She told us the little she had, since it was one of her business interests. I asked if she could put it through sooner rather than latter. She said it would be done by the end of the week. That will make it even more valuable information to the other side.

The Carthians

Hector and I met with the Cartians. They seem to talk a lot about expanding their influence but don’t seem to be actually doing much about it. It is not looking like they will be worth getting to heavily involved with. Maybe I can recruit English into their ranks, but I will need to be careful recruiting others.

Lancea Sanctum

Apparently the Lancea Sanctum is bringing in a new Bishop. I wonder how close that would match the Church. Anyway, there is going to be an event out on Roosevelt Island. English has been invited to attend. He is also welcome to bring guests, Diane and I were interested.

Publican Jonas

Jonas decide that he wanted to purchase an interest in the bar that we frequent. He found out who to talk to and was asked to put forward a proposal. When he came up with an idea I dictated a proposal to Diane. Which Jonas then sent on. The guy sent back a rather sarcastic response. But did offer to sell the bar at $10,000,000. Jonas has decided to bring down the value of the bar but starting a gang. May not be a bad idea.

Slaughterhouse V

So we have decided that we hate those guys. We already have some info on them that can help to bring them down. They couldn’t stop the Hunters in their area, we did, with extreme prejudice. Demetrio that has gone over to them was working on rounds specifically to kill Vampires. We have found gotten the plans for them with Demetrio’s name all over them. But what to do now? From Jonas’ gang idea I came up with a new idea. Vampire’s like less valued neighbourhoods. Ours is a higher value than our neighbouring coterie, so in the eyes of Vampire’s it is worth less than theirs. Perhaps we can help clean up their neighbourhood, it would be a service to the community after all. Maybe I can get the NYPD to increase their presence. Something to think about.

Bloody English

On a night that was starting out just like all of the others in last month, Diane got a call from Samantha. She wanted to see us all straight away. This night was going to be interesting.

We met up and headed over to Samantha’s office in Lower Manhattan. Samantha gave us a file on a coterie that apparently belonged to the Lancea Sanctum. However they were suspected of actually being apart of Belial’s Brood. We were asked to investigate and find evidence either way. She also made a point of telling us not to kill anyone.

We headed to upper New York reading about the group as we went. There were four Vampires and three humans, likely ghouls in the coterie. All of the Vampires are on the young side but one has just been granted permission by the prince to create a childe. He is the youngest of the group, Jeremy Greywater, an Englishman.

We visited a Catholic Church in the area. Diane and Hector wouldn’t come in and Jonas got freaked out inside when I took part in the rituals of the church. For some reason he was surprised that I was Catholic.

We proceeded on to the address in that Samantha gave us. It was a convent with two buildings, encircled by a 6ft high stone wall. Jonas decided that the only appropriate action was to jump the fence and break in. Hectorm Diane and I decided it would be better to talk to the locals, so we headed to the nearest bar. A sports bar showing the Italian premier league.

After having a discussion with a bartender Diane decided to talk to the others on her own. She continued to talk to the few patrons that were present at this hour. Not many. We waited for an hour before Jonas got in touch with us. He blew it. He was made and was leaving the area. We decided to do the same. I had an idea of looking to see if there were any unoccupied apartments that overlook the convent grounds.

The following night I dragged Diane along with me and to look at apartments. The first building we went to we found out that an apartment on the fourth floor was being renovated. We left and headed to the bar. I told Hector to break in and find out if it would suit or purpose. He did. He came up with an idea to lodge a report saying that there is asbestos in the apartment.

The following night Diane and I returned to the sports bar. Whilst we were there, the childe Jeremy Greywater came into the bar. He saw us, said “Hi” in his silly English accent and then “Bye.” and promptly left. English. Diane and I decided to leave. In the meantime Jonas got one of his bums to set up camp looking in on the back of the convent.

A week passed. Jonas had called his bum but Jeremy answered and promptly lied about what had happened to the bum. I decided that we needed to befriend or turn the Englishman so Diane and I returned to the bar. This time the English man came in and acknowledged our presence. He went and played some darts. I went over and had a game with him after he insulted me. He beat me, I offered to buy him a beer and he declined. I went up to the bar and ordered a Guinness. I drank down that sweet nectar of the gods. This freaked out English and he left. Diane headed outside to talk to him. When she came back it was time to go.

Another week passed. This time Hector joined Diane and myself at the bar. Jonas looked disappointed that Diane wouldn’t let him come. We were playing pool when English approached us. Diane challenged him to a game of pool to decide where we would talk. Somehow Diane won. We went out to a nearby park and discussed general things. I introduced myself as a Carthian along with Hector and told him Diane had designs to be a part of the Invictus. He evidently had no idea what we were talking about. We gave him a brief description of the different covenants. He finally told us that he was Lancea Sanctum, a god-botherer as Hector put it. He was still quite abrasive with us.

The following week we returned, this time with Jonas. This time English won the game of pool. He took us around to a different nearby park. We decided that we would be straighter with him. Providing he gave us some information as well. We let him know that we were chasing a believed devil worshipping cult of Belial’s Brood. We let him know what we knew about that and the rituals and such. He eventually became more interested in talking to us in the future. I left him a card to call me.

An hour later I got a call from him saying he needed our help to escape his coterie. We agreed to meet at a metro station. We piled in to my ‘82 Camaro, a tight fit. We headed up to the area. When I got to the station he was nowhere in sight. This felt like a trap so I told Hector and Diane to keep theirs ears open. After a few minutes we heard a shotgun blast. I told Jonas to take my gun. I moved the car as fast as I could arriving out the front of a park to see English get shot in the back by a vampire. Jonas got out shooting as he went. Diane and Hector made for English. I popped the trunk, they would have to toss him in their. I scarred one of the vampires of. Jonas dropped my gun, he fucking dropped it. He engaged in hand to hand while Diane and Hector tossed English in the trunk. Jonas left my gun and barely made it to the car, spilling his blood all over my seats. The bastard! Unfortunately with these vampires turning into beasts and growing claws (I must learn how to do that) it was time to go. One shot at us while the other jumped on to car smashing the glass and destroying the duco. I tried to shake him off while the others backed away from him. He held on. I drove close to a wall as Diane kicked him off. As he fell he took the skin of off Diane’s leg with him.

English owes us a fucking lot for this one even though he is almost dead himself. Jonas barely made it out alive and Diane is in a bad way. And I have to report my gun stolen And the Camaro needs serious cosmetic work! could this night have gone any worse?

We took English to meet with Samantha. We got him to tell her all about Belial’s Brood and his old coterie. She took the information directly from his mind in way that can only be called mind rape, although he did consent. She took the information to Bennett. Bennett ordered a blood hunt on the members of English’s former master and coterie.

All in the name of Art

Slaughterhouse V

The day of the bidding finally arrived. We each went in separately to meet with Slaughterhouse V. We had planned on only me making an offer, however it turns out that there was a few offers made. We were all met by Slaughterhouse V afterwards in the bar. They told us that whoever took the territory would also become a member of their cabal. Most of us left annoyed at the fact that this vital piece of information was missing. However Demetrio never left. I don’t know what is getting to me more, his betrayal or the attempted betrayal of the rest of the cabal. I need to keep a closer eye on Jonas and Hector.

Secretly Deputised

At the next Prince’s Court we were all met by Vincenzio, He told us that he had traded in our favour to another vampire. We were to meet Delrich at Yankee Stadium in a private box during game 2 of the Yankees vs Red Sox. We agreed.

At Yankee Stadium we were introduced to Delrich and he offered us a chance to watch the game from his box. After the first three innings Delrich summoned Charles his retainer. Charles had apparently been in clubland when he saw Simone, a hound attack a human. There was a flash from a camera that was taken from a bald black man. Simone called out “Rosario” before the man fled. Delrich wants us to investigate the possible masquerade breach. The Red Sox won 0-3 but the game was cut short by the rain.

We headed down to clubland and Teagan West’s domain. We found the former crime scene. As we approached a cat fled from us. Diane checked out the garbage bin and found a bullet. Hector found a small amount of blood splatter and a business card for a photographer called Rosario. I went and had a chat to the cat.

The cat told me that two predators were fighting and that the food stealer was not one of them. He also told me that one had light coloured fur and one had dark fur. Another with no fur was nearby. From what I could tell there was a dark heared and light haired vampires and two humans one of which was the bum or food stealer.

Hector had touched the blood to get a vision of what had occurred. He saw a blond haired woman with green eyes attack the owner of the blood. Form this it looks like the blond attacked Simone whom attacked the bum when the photo was taken by the bald black man who we established was Rosario. Diane requested the autopsy report while I requested a ballistics report of the spent bullet. Diane sent an email to Rosario for an interview.

As we continued walking the streets while thinking of a plan of action Simone snuck up behind us and pulled a gun on Diane. She directed us into a basement and kept the gun on us at all times. She wanted to know what we were doing in the area. Diane told her that we were investigating a masquerade breach on behalf of Teagan West. Simone was not willing to tell us anything but did tell us to stay away from Rosario. She left quite quickly after the warning. We gave an anonymous tip to the police that Rosario might have information for them. Jonas got a friend of his to camp out by Rosario’s studio.

The following night Diane got a return email from Rosario but would not return another. Jonas contact had found out that the police had visited during the day. We decided that we would need to pay Rosario a visit despite the warning from Simone.

The following night we visited Rosario’s early. Jonas and Hector kept a look out while I acted as Diane’s bodyguard. Rosario let us in. While Diane had an interview with Rosario I looked around at his art. I found that the artwork was dry but his brushes were wet. I found a pizza receipt that had a name “Melanie” and a phone number written on it. Diane also saw the original photo taken at the time of the attack. Rosario told her that he had already painted it and shown it to his friend Simone, who wasn’t happy about it and told him that a friend of hers, Melanie, would pick it up.

Once we left the apartment I convinced Diane to call Melanie to organise a followup interview on the artist. She agreed to her request and would meet her in central park near the pond. Jonas, Hector and myself went on ahead to find locations that we could hide nearby close enough to react if there was a problem. When Diane arrived Melanie was already there.

After a few minutes Jonas called to say it was done and to meet up. After eventually getting all of the information from Diane, we found out that Melanie was the blond woman with green eyes. She had taken the painting as it was evidence of a masquerade breach, but not of Simone, of Delrich. Before she could tell us much Melanie was staked from behind by Charles. Melanie had given Diane an invite to a midnight gallery showing of the artwork for a few trusted people. We decided that if anyone was going to do anything it would be us and we would need to steal the painting tonight.

Some questions that I feel need answering. Why did Melanie attack Delrich? Why did Delrich try to blame the act on Simone? What should we do once we steal the painting? Destroy it to curry favour with Delrich? Bring it to the Prince’s Court and get a blood hunt called on Delrich? Pass it on to Samantha to do the same? Pass it along to Teagan West, who has laws in her domain to prevent a masquerade breach in clubland? What of Simone? How will she react if Rosario is killed during the bloodhunt? How will Yvonne react to the breach? And of my actions to show or cover it up? How will this effect my relationship with her and The Hawks? All questions that need answering before we decide. Or at least factors in the decision making process.

We decided that it would be best to break into the back door. Diane and I stood look out on either side of the alley. Hector and Jonas proceeded to break in. After a few minutes they came out with a computer and a petty cash container, but no painting. We hightailed it back to our underground haven.

After Hector looked through the drives on the computer he found very little useful info. We realised that if we were going to take it, it would be the next night. We considered the consequences of what we were going to do with the painting. We decided that we need to fulfill the favour we owe. It will be to Delrich.

Teh following night we returned early to the art gallery. We could see that there was now a covered painting. Hector went out and bought some Monkey masks. I gave him my gun but only after I had removed the ammunition. I then took a knife of off Jonas. There were a couple of others milling around and two security guards. We snuck around the back again. Once again Hector picked the lock and we went in. There was another security guard that caught us by surprise. Jonas quickly started to attack him when he wouldn’t yield to my demands.

Two other guards came in I told one to run, which he did. Diane grabbed the other one. Hector and I pushed through to the gallery. Hector went for the painting while the second guard staring firing at me. After the second shot hit me in my vest I turned and saw that Hector had unveiled the painting and put it down. He was now stealing the phones from the others. I grabbed the phone and ran for the rear exit. I saw that Diane and Jonas over the third guard that had fallen. I then saw some blood from the first guard in the office. I continued for the door and jumped down the sewer system.The others followed me down and we took off for our haven.

Once we got there we contacted Delrich who told us to meet him at Yankee stadium again. It was just us and Delrich their this time. He thanked us for recovering the painting. And since our favour was only a minor one, we asked Delrich to back us in the future if we needed him to. He agreed.

A Coterie Born Through Tough Trials

As a reward for our previous task, Samantha has given territory in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It is a nice and quiet neighbourhood. It has a low crime rate, so that is good for the area, not so good for our nature. But it is still our territory.

Our territory has eight residential blocks, half of a cemetery and the open land to the Hudson River. It extends from Broadway to the Hudson, in between 145th and 155th Streets. Our new territory is adjacent to that of Slaughter House V. Theirs is substantially larger than ours though. There is between 145th and 155th all the way to the Harlem River. It also includes the other half of the cemetery and the Church of Intersession on the grounds.

Diane, Jonas and I have all moved into the area. Demetrio is still lording over his cash and living down near the financial district. We are getting on a lot better, and starting to get to know each other better. Our strengths and weaknesses are starting to show through. We have discussed the idea of a forming a coterie but we have come to no decision about it.

A New Friend

A couple of months have passed since we came to the area. It is peaceful, almost. Jonas was stalking around the west side of the cemetery. He came across a body underneath the Hudson Parkway. He had bite marks from a vampire on his neck. There are two problems here, first someone is hunting in our territory, and second, they are not cleaning up after themselves. After we all got there we decided to make it look like a mugging and used one of Jonas knifes to cut the flesh on his neck at the bite marks. We then had him delivered to the nearby hospital.

We decided to follow up on this incident. Diane thought she would follow up with an interview with the victim after he gets out of hospital. Jonas was going to continue to patrol to find the culprit. And I decided to get in touch with the local police. Demetrio decided to be Demetrio.
I got in touch with one of the local detectives. As it turns out that she went to the Academy with me. Detective Nicole Abna, was her name. I do remember that she was exmilitary. She seemed a bit stand offish when I tried to get some information about any muggings in the area. She eventually relented letting me know it happened every now and then over near the Hudson, but last night was the first time that someone was knifed.

Diane got very little information out of the victim. Apparently he couldn’t remember anything other than he was jogging. That was followed of course by waking up in the hospital. Jonas had even less success. For a few nights while out on patrol in the area he found nothing suspicious. I still don’t know what Demetrio did.

We continued patrolling on a nightly basis. About a week after the first body we found another. This time the wound had been licked clean. At least he cleaned up after himself this time. I came to the conclusion that Jonas may have just interrupted him last time, preventing him from cleaning up after himself. We spread out looking for the culprit.

It was Jonas that found him. Well, more that the culprit found Jonas. He was sitting on the edge of the parkway. When Jonas couldn’t get close to the Culprit he called the rest of us. When we all arrived, none of us could get close to him. This guy was crazy and seemed to think that Jonas was called “Ilivehere”. He eventually agreed to tell us his last name as long as we got him an albino pigeon.

We tried to find out more about this guy. Diane hit up the Prince’s Court and also sourced an albino pigeon from a nearby pet shop. We couldn’t find out much more other than the fact there was a vampire that matched his description but didn’t live in the society anymore. Jonas also hit up Slaughter House V for information. They didn’t know much but we did find out their names. One of them was also called Jonas.

We managed to get a hold of the Albino Pigeon. We took it to where we met the crazy vampire. We had hoped that we could get him to stop hunting in our territory but that didn’t seem like a likely prospect. He was grateful for the albino pigeon, we still don’t know why he wanted it. He told us his name. He told us that if we needed to contact him we just needed to write a chalk cross at a specific spot.

Slaughter House V

After we headed away from the crazy Vampire, we found that building on the other side of Broadway had been burnt down. We spotted people wandering around in the building. Jonas contacted a member of Slaughter House V. They told us they were there and asked us to come over. We headed over and found out that this was their Jonas’ haven.

They said that we could investigate as well, if we liked. Between Diane and myself (mostly Diane), we found out that he was staked in his bed and dragged to the window. Once there they pried the boards of the window to expose him to sunlight. This is where the fire started.

Expansionist

After the death of their one of their Jonas, Slaughter House V has decided to offload a portion of their territory. They asked the four of us and a vampire called Hector to meet us at a bar in their territory. They told us that they would be auctioning of the blocks of land between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave. Hector stated straight away that he didn’t want the territory. They told us that we had a month to decide.

We headed back to the bar in our territory. We decided that we did want to get the land. However we weren’t a coterie and the territory was offered to us individually. Diane decided to head to the Prince’s Court and find out if anyone else had been offered the land. We decided that only one of us would offer anything. Both Demetrio and Jonas didn’t really want to offer anything. I suggested that I off them access to my media contacts. Thus it was agreed that that is how we would proceed.

The Neighbourhood Watch

We started to investigate the fire some more. Both Diane and I had seen on the news that a local minister at the Church of Intersession had started a neighbourhood watch with the help of the local police. Diane tried to a bit of a follow-up story and I contacted the Nicole Abna to see if I could help.

I followed up with looking through news archives and Diane hit up the police to find out if there had been similar unexplained fires. There had been three in the last 6 months. Diane went to the Prince’s Court. She found out that Jonas was the third no name Vampire that had disappeared. Jonas got Hector to help out and find out the same sort of information as well.

Diane organised to have an interview with the minister of the Church of Intersession. In the meantime Jonas got Hector to find out more about the Neighbourhood Watch through the internet. We had a suspicion that the 6 month or so old Neighbourhood Watch was associated in some way with the fires over the last 6 months. We agreed that Diane would go to the interview, with Jonas watching from the shadows. Demetrio would wait with me at the bar.

Poor planning. Jonas noticed that the priest, a police woman and another man were putting a heavy tapestry into the back of the van. Jonas grabbed a taxi to follow and let us know that something was wrong. When he told us about the people I realised that the Police woman could be Nicole Abna. Jonas told us that they were heading south on Amsterdam. Demetrio and I headed south on Broadway. Jonas got Hector to find out who the car was registered to and where he lived. We managed to find the van outside of the apartment building. We asked if Hector wanted to help us out, since it concerned him too.

We came up with a plan. I was going to head up to the roof and come down the fire escape to just below the apartment window. The other three were going to come in through the main door. We were going to take them by surprise from two directions and overwhelm them. That was not so successful. I had to jump from the adjacent building to get to the right fire esape.

Whatever the other three did to get in the door, they alerted them to our attempt at entry. When I heard a shotgun blast I dropped down to the window to see in. Jonas had charged Nicole who was holding an aerosol can and a lighter over Diane. Diane had a stake in her chest. The minister also had an aerosol can and a lighter. The other man had a shotgun. Nicole burnt Jonas’ hands as Hector grabbed the guy with the shotgun so he couldn’t use it. The minister flamed Hector and the shotgun guy. I fired my gun at Nicole, and missed. Hector fled down the corridor, with Demetrio at his heels (the first time I saw him). Jonas Dived through the window in front of me as I fired again through the window, piercing the aerosol can at that Nicole was holding. Jonas went down the fire escape. Nicole seemed to recognise me as I went up the fire escape. I jumped back across and met up with the others.

I contact the Hawks and let them know all we knew about the Hunters. Ben came and met me. He told me that he doubted that they would make a move before dawn. But they were unlikely to leave the Vampire in the apartment all day.

We decided to make another shot. This time we would wait until just before dawn when they would they and move Diane. There seemed to be two possible options. The first would be to load her into the van. The second would be to take her up to the roof and let her burn there. We split up. Demetrio and Hector would wait at ground level and try and disable their van if they tried to get away. Jonas and I would wait on the roof.

Just prior to dawn, Nicole came out in uniform to the roof. She looked around but couldn’t see us hiding in the shadows. She called down to say that the coast was clear. They brought up Diane and left her on the roof. The headed back down, putting police tape up.

Now it was a race against time. We had to get Diane down of off the building, across a park and down into the subway. We got to Diane and I removed the stake from her chest. Jonas carried her, and we headed to the next building. I dropped down to the fire escape. I helped Jonas get Diane down on to the fire escape and headed down. We crossed the park pretending to help a drunk across. We got down to the subway in the nick of time with Demetrio and Hector meeting us there. We got down the platform and struggled to stay awake helping one another we got Diane into the tunnels and found somewhere to sleep. Hector, Demetrio and Jonas all stayed awake to feed.
It took two nights to feed and make our way to near Hector’s apartment. We found a service exit on the second night. We got Diane to Hector’s Haven. From there we split up again. Hector and I headed down to the subway tunnels again, to hunt for some rats for Diane to feed on while she was in torpor. In the meantime Jonas went looking for food and Demetrio went somewhere.

When Hector and I got back to his haven, the others weren’t there. I used Hector’s phone to call Demetrio, who was apparently in an internet café. Demetrio was coming up with a plane to gas the Neighbourhood watch. He didn’t know where Jonas had gone only that he had gone to feed. I headed down to the park, whilst Hector feed Diane.

In the park I found a dead jogger in a bush that had been drained of blood. Whoever had killed him had cleaned up after themself. I followed the trail and found that somebody had been attacked another person and dragged the body down to a basement. I went down to investigate. I found Jonas, and saw that he had attacked a Vampire and worked out that he had killed the jogger.
I woke up Jonas and told him to clean up after himself. I got him to bash the Vampire’s teeth. We then wrapped the Vampire in some cardboard boxes and took him up and dumped him in a dumpster. Jonas then went down and washed away the blood with a fire hose. I gave him my jumper and told him to get rid of any identifying features. He took the teeth, his key and a Celtic knot.
After staying a week at Hector’s place, Diane came out of Torpor. We helped her feed on rats. We came to an agreement that the five of us would form a coterie, for the purpose of mutual protection and support. Everyone agreed. We decided to establish a common Haven in the subway tunnels beneath our territory.

Now we need to deal with the Hunters. Demetrio likes the idea of trying to gas them with carbon monoxide. That had many potential problems, including the possibility of unwanted casualties. Hector suggested an explosion. It seemed that everyone liked that idea. Demetrio used his criminal contacts to source some C4. He got a detonator added after I told him that we would need that too. We decided that on the night Demetrio got the C4, I would set it up in Hector’s apartment with Hector’s help. Demetrio, Diane and Jonas would lure the Hunters to let them think that we are in the boarded up apartment.

All things come full circle. It after I setup the C4 and awaiting the light of day, that not so long ago I would have been the one called in to defuse this bomb. Before that Mum had brought me out here from Ireland. What I never told anyone was why. I was now following in my father’s footsteps, setting up a bomb to kill a police officer. I like to think that at least he had a reason. Loyalty to the IRA, and help his fellow Irish Catholics get liberation from the English. I know that that is not true, he just liked blowing people up. My father was a monster. Am I so different?

The trip to a graveyard

I’m feel it is best to keep a notebook to help me sole the problems of the damned. Just like we are trained to do to solve crimes.

Learning Nights

I have been told all about the Vampire society of New York. It is certainly eye opening. The first time I took the blood of a human for nourishment, I heard the victim’s voice in my head. I wonder if all Vampires hear this. From what I have heard from Yvonne, I don’t think it would be wise to let people know much about my weaknesses. I have heard about the different factions,Covenants. Two strike me as interesting. The Carthian Movement, democratic Vampires and the Invictus, the aristocracy.

I have been robbed of the chance to make Captain in the NYPD. I was so close. I have become a consultant now. Helping out when needed. I need to find another way to serve the city.

Debut Night

Yvonne and I arrive at the Met, a Vampire Elysium and the Prince’s Court. There are approximately 30 others. Yvonne points some other “Children”. One of them is a Media contact, Diane Johnson another is a man that grew up in Hell’s Kitchen a few years my junior, Jonas Krall. The last is a midget, I have never seen before. There is a strange coincidence with the other three though. We are allowed to speak to one another. Jonas introduces us to Demetrio Agostinelli. He is an interesting, but smelly midget. Diane makes a few short jokes.

Before the main court starts a woman called Samantha comes and asks us to meet her when the court has concluded. The court itself is rather uninteresting. Although Samantha petitions for some more land. She gets with ease. She must be quite important.

Our sires approach the prince when summoned. And they present us. After a brief discussion we are accepted amongst the Kindred. Bennett is a scary motherfucker.

After it starts to wind down, the four new Kindred meet. Jonas wants to know what everyone can do. He says that he is vaster and stronger. Dianne tells us that she is faster and can see things. Shorty says that he can command men and that he is scary. Doubtful. In the confusion while they are discussing this, they seem to not notice that I didn’t give an answer. Demetrio insults the NYPD, saying that there are all corrupt. It is now that I introduce myself as a former Lieutenant in the NYPD. The others only know that Samantha is Bennett’s second in command.

We decide to get a cab to Samantha’s Haven. We are greeted at the door and told to head up to floor 37. We are told to wait int the lobby until we are greeted by another man that leads us into Samantha’s Office. She greats us and then give us a mission. (See over)

Afterwards we head to Demetrio’s rather luxurious apartment. From here we decide what we are going to do. Jonas uses the internet to research the graveyard. Dianne looks into some occult connections, and Demetrio looks up details of Ark Magnas. We break for the day and decide to meet early the next night to drive to the cemetery. I tell everyone to take everything we need, because if we don’t find what we are looking for we are not coming back.

Mission Details

Objective: Find Pope body. He should be in Torpor. Open the case in front of him. By dawn the following night.Notes: There is a note on the back of a photograph. Details:
Arkwatch? – Likely an old Cemetery.
Rabii Moel – Jewish – Does the cemetery have a Jewish section? Yes, with a sundial.
Ark Magnus – ? several possibilities, masons? anagram? math? or steno-graph?
Lady Grief – ? Statue maybe, or a woman with a surname sounding like grief. A statue.
Key – ?
Dead Boy – ? a dead boy’s grave? Stone Chair.
2 o’clock – Direction or time? Likely a direction from sundial.
Glass – ?
Ond – ? Miss spelling
Pope remember the words – ??? A phrase, like “Open Sesame” maybe.

Trip to the Cemetery night

We headed out to the cemetery, Demetrio is driving a Hummer. We arrive at 11pm and head in. It seems somehow creepier walking through a spooky cemetery in the middle of the night now that we are dead.

In the old Jewish section we find a grave marked Joseph Moel, dated in 1984. This section can’t be that old. There is a sundial on the grave with 12 o’clock pointing north. Demetrio and I follow the 2 o’clock direction while Diane and Jonas head north.

Demetrio and I find fourteen graves that appear with masonic markings all died in 1949. We also find a stone chair that is likely a child’s grave. And a mausoleum that appears to be used by homeless people. Jonas and Diane called and said they found a few interesting things but we all think that the stone chair is likely the “Dead Boy”. Shortly afterwards Dianne tells us that somebody with a rifle is stalking them. Potential Security guard but not likely. We regroup at the boy’s grave. We head North looking for Lady Grief. I tell them to fan out as we move north and shine the torches on graves as we go. They know we are here, there is no point hiding that. But let’s try and look like we are unaware that they know.

We find a fire and voices in the distance. Jonas and I head over to talk to the people there. When we arrive we discover that they are homeless. I tell them that I work with the NYPD and we are helping with an investigation. They tell us that the security guards don’t have rifles and usually stay at the main gate. They also tell us to beware of Coyotes. Seems odd, maybe Werewolves? Can’t believe I considered that option. One does tell us as we leave that there is statue of a woman to the north. Could be Lady Grief. When we return to Diane and Demetrio we continue north.

Not far into the northern section of the cemetery a vampire steps out of the darkness in front of us. He tells us to get out. Demetrio looks him in the crotch and commands him to kneel. The Vampire kneels and orders his friends to attack the dwarf with iron spikes. He goes down quickly while I shoot the leader and Jonas attempts to stab one of them. I holster the gun and pick up an iron spike. Diane grabbed one and then I scratched him with the spike. The other three turned onto Jonas while the other turned Diane’s grapple back on herself. Just as he was about to bite into Diane’s neck I drove the iron spike through his back and out of his chest mere inches from Diane’s face. As he fell with Diane I removed the spike and turned on the ones attacking Jonas. One was on his back while another had driven his spike into Jonas’ Knee. all I could do was hit the one on Jonas’ back across his back. The three of us had a sudden compulsion to run.

When we stopped and regrouped we realised that we Demetrio and the case back with the other Vampire. Three men with shotguns walked out of the darkness. The leader was a Vampire but the other two seemed to be ghouls. He demanded the case. After some quiet talks we managed to convince him that we would help him find Pope and discuss the case and the fate of Pope when we found him. We found out that his name was Vincenzio and he was hired by the Lancea Sanctum. By this time Demetrio had messaged us that he had recovered and had the case. Jonas told him to hide as there were other interested parties.

The six of us returned to the northern end of the cemetery. By the time we got there the other four vampires had left. We managed to find a brass woman holding a lantern. Closer inspection of the lantern revealed a small inscription on the glass. However it was too small to read. I attempted to use my torch to light the inscription and try ad read it. Unfortunately that didn’t work. We realised it needed a candle. Jonas asked if anyone smoked, only one of the ghouls did smoke. Asking for a cigarette lighter the ghoul tossed him a zippo. We managed to convince Jonas to let the ghoul light the lighter and put in place of the candle.

The light was cast on a nearby mausoleum. It showed a key and the Latin phrase “Quid Est Veritas.” Diane pulled up google translate on her smart phone and found out that it mean “What is Truth?” I suggested that this might have something to do with the anagram. When she looked that up she found that it was an ancient Roman anagram that rearranged read “Est Vir Qui Adest” or “it is the man who stands before you.” I examined the wall further and found that some of the mortar had been replaced with some ceramic tiles to wedge the bricks in. After some work Jonas and I managed to remove one of the bricks. Behind it I found a small parcel that held a small key.

We headed off looking for the final resting place of Pope. We headed back into the section of the cemetery that the bums were in. We searched around and eventually found an old Mausoleum. On the side of it was some old graffiti that read “What is Truth.” It was then that Vincenzio raised the guns at us again. We managed to negotiate a deal. He would walk away and let us recover Pope, in exchange we would each provide him with a favour at a later date. Demetrio meet with us bringing along the case.

After he left we opened the door of the Mausoleum. I saw a trapped door with a lock on it. I moved straight there and unlocked the padlock with the key. I opened the trap door and moved down the ladder to the half-finished Mausoleum below. I found Pope so we brought the case down. Demetrio stayed up top because he was a little offended. We opened the case in front of Pope. The body started to move and then feasted on the corpse of a Vampire that Diane appeared to recognise. After a few moments when he appeared to notice us, the three of us pulled him away. He was not happy but we told him that his benefactor wanted to meet him tonight. He agreed but wanted to finish his meal first. We agreed but Jonas and I left to let him do it in private. Up top, Demetrio was trying to brick us in.

After a while he and Diane came up. We drove back to New York and Samantha’s apartment.

I finally met one. Another person who fights against crime, only he was ACTUALLY a superhero. Speeding around fighting criminals. I met him a couple of times and during the last time I became overwhelmed by the bastards.

He saved me.

Saved my from them and a life of mediocrity. I am now a superhero in my own right. I am a Vampire.

For a month he has been training me and teaching me the ways of the Daeva and Vampires.